Reborn as the Villainess

James carefully wiped away beads of sweat, marveling at the emotional rollercoaster. He'd figured it out now. Stephen treasured Eleanor like his own flesh and blood. Even gifts could only be for him, not for anyone else. Sure enough, Stephen's lips curled into a satisfied smile upon hearing his words. "Well, if Mr. Byron insists, how can I possibly refuse such generosity?" Eleanor stood there, momentarily stunned. She finally managed to speak. "Just so you know, the pen I gave him only cost two hundred dollars. Not exactly in the same league as yours." seen her share of Eleanor had of luxury items. One glance told her the pen Stephen had casually tossed into the box was worth a small fortune-probably enough for a down payment on a decent condo. Stephen, however, didn't bat an eye. "Oh, I prefer two-hundred-dollar pens," he said with a shrug. “Not a penny more." Eleanor was once again rendered: speechless. "Weird guy,' she thought. 'Having something that nice and deliberately choosing to use the cheap stuff instead. After Eleanor and and Stephen had walked ked away, J James let out a heavy sigh. Suddenly remembering something, he grabbed Oscar, who hadn't gone far, and asked in a low voice, "Mr. Spencer, about the contract..." James felt incredibly uneasy. Although he had already signed the contract, this new complication made him nervous. If the Lloyd family decided to back out, the Byron family wouldn't stand a chance against them. Before leaving, Stephen hadn't given a definitive answer, and James didn't dare to ask for one. Oscar maintained his his professional smile as he reassured James. "Don't worry, Mr. Byron. Since Mr. Lloyd didn't mention voiding the contract, there shouldn't be any issues." James finally felt at ease. The The weight lifted from his chest instantly. "That's good..." he muttered in relief. He was now acutely aware of how his quick thinking had saved the day. By disciplining his son before Stephen's anger could escalate, he had likely prevented Stephen from coming down hard on the entire Byron family. If he had hesitated even a moment longer, the consequences could have been disastrous.

A slap in exchange for a bright future for the Byron family was worth it. As the tension ebbed away, James collapsed onto a nearby couch, his legs trembling uncontrollably. Just then, something on the table caught his eye. James opened the small box to find a golden pen nestled inside. Although he had glimpsed it earlier when Stephen was signing, seeing it up close now nearly blinded him with its brilliant sheen.

Suddenly, James noticed something and muttered under his breath, "Wait a minute..."

This pen looked oddly familiar to him. He remembered seeing it at a major auction in Nerovia. It had been bought for a crazy amount by a mysterious bidder in a golden mask. The matching gold colors had really stuck with him. Could it be that the man in the golden mask had bought it for Mr. Lloyd?' he thought. The more he chewed on it, the less far-fetched it seemed.

****

Meanwhile, in a sleek town car crawling through city traffic, Eleanor sulked in the back seat. She white-knuckled her backpack, her gaze fixed on the passing cityscape, and she pointedly ignored the man beside her.

Stephen didn't seem bothered. He was toying with a gray fountain pen, admiring it from every angle as if reluctant to put it away. "February twenty-third," he suddenly said.

Caught off guard, Eleanor asked, "What?"

"My birthday," Stephen explained softly.

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Eleanor stared at him, speechless. "I'd like a present too," he pressed on. Her silence stretched between them.

"Make sure it costs at least a dollar more than this pen," Stephen added, determined to outdo the gift he had given her.

Eleanor's brow furrowed as she took in the sight of Stephen in his perfectly tailored suit. Once again, she found herself wondering if she really knew him at all.

The world knew the CEO of Lloyd Group as a force to be reckoned with ruthless, cold, and intimidating. A man so far above the rest that crossing him was unthinkable.

And yet, this guy in front of her, rambling on like a stubborn kid was a far cry from that fearsome reputation. Eleanor couldn't help but wonder if this was really the same Stephen Lloyd everyone talked about or if someone had switched him with an imposter. Eleanor's face remained expressionless as she stated. "Your birthday was ages ago. Why should I give you a gift now?" "What's your dream university?" Stephen asked abruptly.NôvelDrama.Org holds this content.

Eleanor blinked, caught off guard by the sudden change in topic. "Huh?" After a moment, she gathered her thoughts and replied, "Highcrest University."

Stephen showed no surprise at her answer. His fingers continued to fiddle with his pen as he proposed. "Let's make a bet."

"A bet?" Elear Eleanor narrowed I her eyes suspiciously. What is he up to now?'

you

"How about this? If you win, I'll give you a helicopter. If you lose you give me a gift worth more than this pen, as we agreed. What do you say?" Stephen proposed with a sly grin.

Eleanor pressed her lips, considering the offer. With

She wondered if he might be a bit touched in theer current grades, getting into Highcrest University was a sure thing. Stephen was clearly setting himself up to lose this bet, and she couldn't figure out what he was after.

head, I like his brother. After all, there was a chance that sort of thing ran in families.

Stephen's lips curled into a smirk as he watched Eleanor remain silent. "What's wrong? Getting cold feet? Or are you not so confident about your grades after all?"

Eleanor could hear the challenge in his voice. He was trying to goad her into accepting. Still, she flashed him a sweet smile and agreed, "Sure, why not?"

It didn't matter what he was up to. With Albert's protection, Stephen wouldn't dare try anything underhanded against her, no matter how clever he thought he was.

Besides,' Eleanor thought, 'why turn down a free helicopter when it's offered?' Her smile was radiant, her eyes curving like crescent moons. She was as enchanting as starlight, as warm as sunshine, and as refreshing as a cool breeze. All these feelings mixed together in Stephen's heart, exploding into a dazzling spectacle.

Stephen's heart raced at the sight before him. He swallowed hard, his fingers slowing their fidgeting with the pen. One thought crystallized in his mind. It was all worth it.

To him, a smile like that deserved more than just one helicopter. He'd buy her a whole damn fleet if he could, letting her take a different one for a spin each day.

Oblivious to his thoughts, Eleanor thanked him as they reached Vanderbilt Manor. Before he could respond, she hopped out of the car and dashed away, her hair dancing in the wind.

Stephen couldn't help but laugh. Just a little longer, he reminded himself. wait until after the University Admissions Testing. Everything has to wait until then.'

Oscar, sitting in the passenger seat, caught a glimpse of Stephen's smile in the rearview mirror. He nearly jumped out of his skin.

It had been a long time since Stephen smiled like that. Oscar believed if Stephen's parents could see this smile, they'd be over the moon.

Truth be told, Eleanor wasn't just avoiding Stephen. A big part of her rush was the mountain of homework waiting for her at

home.

It seemed teachers everywhere were following the same playbook-piling on practice tests as exams approached. The workload was insane, over twenty double-sided worksheets for a measly two-day weekend. 'Seriously?' Eleanor thought to herself. 'It's like they're in some twisted competition to see who can dish out the most busywork instead of actually teaching.' She shook her head, baffled by the logic of it all.